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Tips That Make You Feel Like a Genius
Secretly, I feel like a genius when I discover a secondary use for this or that — in case I run out of this, but have plenty of that! Like using a paper coffee filter to wash a glass top or mirror when I'm in a pinch for paper towels. Or using …Read more.
Supermarket Tricks That Makes Us Spend More
I've always thought of myself as pretty sharp when it comes to spotting supermarket trickery. I'm not even fazed by an end-cap display announcing, "Special." I know their ways. They hope we'll just assume that "special" means …Read more.
The Struggle to Actually Use up Gift Cards
My love-hate relationship with gift cards has intensified. What a pain, really. I'm one who just forgets to use them, and when I remember, I try to figure out how to use each one to the last cent. I was reminded of my situation recently when I …Read more.
Commingle Personal and Business Finances? Never!
Dear Mary: I am reading your book, "Debt-Proof Living," and have begun tracking my expenses. I have a home-based business. Should I include business expenses or just personal expenses in the tracking? — Lucy, Vermont
Dear Lucy: You …Read more.
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Reader Should Dump Expensive Credit CardDear Mary: I have a credit card that has an annual fee of $150. The card has no balance on it, and I never will use it again. Should I close the account? How low would my FICO score go if I did close it? Right now, my score is more than 800. I still owe $40,000 in credit card debt, and I have $200,000 of available credit. I am working very hard to pay this debt off and do not want to run the risk of interest rate hikes on existing accounts. — Bella, Texas Dear Bella: Close it. Immediately. That $150 annual fee is a total killer, and you do not need it. As credit scores go, it appears that you are in excellent shape, seeing as you have so much available credit. You don't say what the credit limit is on your "hog," but I am going to assume it's $20,000 or less. By dropping your available credit to $180,000, you still would be using only 22 percent of it with the $40,000 balance. Dear Mary: What is a lower-cost alternative to buying expensive face care products from department stores? Perfectionist, by Estée Lauder, is a favorite product of mine. Is there an equivalent that costs less? — Christy, e-mail Dear Christy: Olay has developed an excellent line of skin care products. The products are getting rave reviews by users and dermatologists alike. Purchase them from a drugstore, such as Rite Aid, that has a no-questions-asked return policy on cosmetics and beauty products.
Dear Mary: Do you have advice for finding affordable dry cleaning? My daughters wore dresses that are dry-clean-only for my brother's wedding. Because of the beadwork, the cleaners would charge $35. Two cleanings would add up to more than what the dresses cost. Do you have any at-home cleaning tips for dry-clean-only garments? — Sheila P., e-mail Dear Sheila: Have you shopped around to compare the prices of other dry cleaners? I don't know whether I ever have heard of an item costing $35 to dry-clean. There are home dry-cleaning kits available that you use in an ordinary clothes dryer, but if these dresses are heavily beaded, that might not work. I am inclined to suggest you skip the cleaning altogether. Hang the dresses outdoors to air, and then dispose of or store them as you had planned on doing all along. Do you have a question for Mary? E-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
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